Machine for measuring surface areas.



L. 0. RAMSDELL. MAGEINE EoE MEASUEING SURFACE AREAS.

y APPL10ATION FILED JAN. 16, 1908. 93 1 1 44 l Patented Aug. 17, 1909.

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L. O. RAMSDELL.

MACHINE EOE MEASUEING SUEEAGE AREAS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 16, 1908.

93 1 1 44. Patented Aug. 17, 1909.

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L. 0. RAMSDELL. MUHINE POE MEASURING SURFACE AREAS.

APPLIGATION FILED JAN. 16, 1908.-' A 93 l 1 4:4, Patented Aug. 17, 1909.

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L. 0. RAMSDELL.

MACHINE POE MEASURING SURFACE AREAS.

APPLICATION IILBD JAN. 16, 1908.

931,144. l Patented Aug.1'7,19o9.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LYNDON O. RAMSDELT., OF SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO PEABODY LEATHER MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PEABODY, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION.

MACHINE FOR MEASURING SURFACE AREAS.

To all whom tt may concern:

Be it known that T, LYNDoN O. RAMs DELL, a citizen of the United States, residing in Salem, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Machines for Measuring Surface Areas, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to a machine for measuring surface areas and more particularly the surface areas of hides, skins and leather.

The invention is an improvement upon measuring machines of that class commonly known as the Sawyer, in which a pointer or index is actuated by rotation of toothed wheels or segments, which in turn are rotated by measuring wheels making contact with the hide, skin or leather being measured.

The present invention has for its object to provide a machine of the class described, which is of increased eihciency and accuracy as will be described. For this purpose, provision is made for adjusting the individual segments or toothed wheels so as to overcome the variation in the counterbalances for said segments or toothed'wheels and in the segments or wheels themselves and thereby enable the latter to be properly balanced and brought into close proximity to their driving pinions, said adjustment being accessible to the operator. Provision is also made for maintaining the accuracy of the machine by providing the toothed wheel or segment with a combined weight and stop, which is adjustable or movable thereon circumferentially, so that when a portion of its teeth become worn, the toothed wheel may be turned so as to bring unworn teeth into operation, as will be described.

The invention further has for its object to avoid backward movement of the pointer beyond the zero mark on the dial, when the toothed wheels or segments are returned to their starting position, thereby increasing the accuracy of the machine.

These and other features of this invention will be pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a. surface measuring machine embodying this invention. Fig. 2, a rear elevation of the ma- Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 16, 1908.

Patented Aug. 17, 1909.

Serial N0. 411,044.

chine shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3, a vertical section of the machine shown in Fig. 1 taken on the line 3 3. Fig. 4, a view like Fig. 3, showing the machine in operation. Fig. 5, a detail in plan to be referred to, on the line 5 5, Fig. 4. Fig. 6, a detail in section, taken on the line 6 6, Fig. 4, and Fig. 7, a detail in plan of one of the levers carrying the measuring wheels.

Referring to the drawings, c represents a. rotatable bed roll supported in the upright sides b, c, of the framework of the machine. The bed roll a is provided with the usual pulleys fl, c, and has coperating with it a series of measuring wheels f, provided with pinions g, which are designed. to rotate toothed devices, shown in the present instance as wheels h, having grooved hubs or pulleys z', which are operatively connected with an index or pointer y' by means of a -system of cords 7;, pulleys m, and levers n. The parts of the machine as thus far described are in general the same or substantially the same as those found in the wellknown Sawyer measuring machine. Each toothed wheel 7L is mounted in one end of a lever 10, pivoted intermediate its ends to an arm 12, depending from the cross piece 13 of the framework of the machine, said lever having an enlarged arm 14 forming a counterbalance for the toothed wheel it. The levers 10 are usually made of cast meta-l and the arm 14 varies in diiferent levers, and the present invention has for one of its objects to overcome inaccuracy in the machine due to this variation in the levers l0. To this end provision is made, whereby the levers 10 may be adjusted from the rear of the machine, so that the said levers with their toothed wheels 71. may be balanced and in this condition brought in close proximity to the driving pinions g'.

In the present instance, I have shown one construction for accomplishing this result, which consists in an adjusting screw 15 extended through a finger or lug 16, depending from the lever 10 near its center and coperating with a bent lever 17, pivoted at its upper end to the arm 14 of the lever 10 and having its free end connected to the free end of the lever 18, which supports the measuring wheel f, with whose pinion g the toothed wheel 7L cooperates. The connection between the levers 10, 18, may be adjustable, and in the present instance, the lever 18 has pivotally connected with it a link 20, whose upper end is bent or cui'ved to form a hook which engages a substantially U-shaped rod 21, which is extended up through the arm i2 of the lever 17 and has one leg or nieinber engaging the upright portion ot the lever 1T and the other leg or member threaded to be engaged by a nut 23, by means of which the connection between the levers 10, 1S lmay be lengthened or shortened so as to properly adjust the measuring wheel j" with relation to the bed roll, the lever 18 being pivoted at ff-il to a block or piece 25, which is fastened as by bolts 26 to a lug 2T secured to a cross bar QS of the framework, and so as to adjust the toothed wheel or segment with relation to its drivingl pinion g.

From an inspection of Fig. 3, it will be seen, that by turning the screw 15, the counterbalancing arm 14 may be raised or lowered, until the lever 10 carrying the toothed device or wheel /t is balanced or substantially balanced, after which the nut 23 may be turned so as to lengthen or shorten the connection between the levers 10, 1S, and thereby permit the lever 10 to turn on its pivot, so as to bring the toothed device or wheel /t nearer to or tai-ther from its driving pinion g. By the two independent adjustments tor the lever 10 above described, the same trictional contact ot all the measuring wheels with the hide, skin or leather is obtained, notwithstanding the Jact that the counterbalances lstot the diterent levers 10 may vary in weight, and also notwithstanding the tact that the toothed wheels or devices may also vary in weight. To illustrate: It the weight of some ot the toothed devices or wheels 7i., should be greater than that of others, the heavier wheels, in the absence ot the adjusting means for eltecting a balance between the heavier wheels and their counterweights (shown in the present instance the screw 15), would cause the measuringl wheels connected to them to be lifted away trom the bed roll a greater distance than the measuring wheels connected with the lighter toothed wheels, and as a result the friction or contactbetween the measuring wheels which are connected with the heavier toothed wheels is less than that of the measuring wheels connected with the lighter toothed wheels, and consequently the measurement effected by some ot the measuring wheels will be less than that effected by other measuring wheels. 1n other words, the machine does not measure uniformly and accurately with materials ot different thickness. 1n the present instance, by providing the independent adjustments t'or the toothed devices, variation in weight in the toothed devices and also in the counterbalances are compensated tor, so that all the levers carrying the toothet devices may be perfectly balanced, without disturbing the measuring wheels,

which at such time may rest upon the bed roll or may be raised so as to just clear the same, and when the levers carrying the toothed devices are t-hus balanced, they may be adjusted by the nuts 23, so as to bring the toothed wheels nearer to or arthe from their driving pinions g. By means oit the double adjustment above referred to, all the measuring wheels which are raised by the hide, skin or leather 3() are engaged simultaneously or substantially so with their coperating toothed wheels iz, and with the saine trictional contact with the hide, skin or leather, irrespective of the thickness of the latter, with the result that a more accurate and eiiicient measuring machine is obtained, and one which is capable ot' accurately measuring hides, skins or leather ot different thickness.

The measuring wheels are rotated in the direction ot' the arrow 31 by the hide, skin or leather 30, as the latter is ted through the machine by the rotatable bed roll a, and inasmuch as the extent ot rotation varies with the size of the hide, skin or leather, it follows that some of the teeth ot the wheels it are used more than others and therefore become worn in time, with the result that inaccuracies occur trom this source.

' The present invention has for one of its objects to overcome this objectionable feature, and this result is obtained by providing the toothed wheel with a weight and stop which is adjusted circumterentiallyot the toothed wheel, so that `when a portion ot' the teeth of the wheel /zv becomes worn, the weight and stop can be adjusted circumferentially so as to bring an unworn portion of the teeth ot' the wheel it into operative relation to the driving pinion.

1n the present instance, the weight and stop is composed of two parts or members 32, 33, which are located on opposite sides ot the rim ot the wheel /L and are clamped thereto by the. screws Set (see Figs. 8 and G). One of the members as 32 is provided with a bent portion or arm 35, which'torms a stop arm and cooperates with a cross bar 36 secured to brackets 37 erected upon the cross bar 28 of the t'ran'iework. `rvllhen the machine is at rest, the stop arms 35- of the toothed wheels 7L engage the stop bar 3G as shown in Fig. 3.

lVhile l may prefer the construction of the combined nfeight and stop, herein shown, 1 do not desire to limit my invention to the particular construction shown.

rThe invention further has for its object to increase tl e accuracy ot the machine by avoiding uneven wear on the pivot or fulcrum for the main lever 40, which actuates the pointer and also the rack bar -flfl Vand the pinion 42 in mesh with said rack bar. This result is obtained by providing the main lever LlO with a central opening 43 ioo ilo

(see F ig. 5) through which the cord, chain or flexible connection 46 is passed and secured to the arm or upright 45 fastened to the upper surface of the main lever.

The central opening 43 may be formed in the lever 40 at'ter the manner represented in Fig. 5, wherein the lever is shown as composed of a bar inserted between and secured to the bent ends of bars which are suitably secured togetiier beyond the bent portion to form a single bar or piece.

By reference to Figs. 3 and 4, it will be seen that the cord 46 is central with relation to the pivots 50 for the main lever 40 and also with relation to the rack bar 4l and pinion 42, so that the pull upon the lever 40 is evenly distributed to both pivots and to the rack bar 4l and pinion 42, thereby avoiding uneven wear on these parts and consequently increasing the accuracy ot' the machine.

The levers 18 which support the measuring wheels la may and preferably will be made double as represented in Fig 7, that is, each lever is composed of two side bars connected by end bars, the said side bars being offset at their center Ito permit the measuring wheels to be assembled close together and have the pinions g in line with the toothed wheels h. This construction of lever enables the same to be made lighter without weakening it. The toothed wheels It have cooperating with them holding pawls 5l mounted on a rock shaft 52 located at the rear oi'l the machine. lt will also be noticed that the mechanism for adjusting the counterbalanced levers l0 is located at the rear of the machine and is readily accessible.

It desired, the levers l0 may have connected to them one end of sprinos 58 having their other ends connected to threaded rods 54, extended through lugs or projections 55 on the arms l2 and engaged by nuts 56, by means of which the strength of the springs may be adjusted, so as to hold the levers in their normal position with the wheels L in close proximity to the pinions g, and thereby prevent the said wheels jumping or being moved unevenly when the hide, skin or leather is carelessly introduced between the measuring wheels and the bed roll.

Claims.

l, ln a. machine of the character described, in combination, a bed roll, a plurality ot measuring wheels cooperating therewith, levers on which said measuring wheels are mounted, pinions carried by said wheels, a plurality of rotatable toothed wheels cooperating with said pinions, levers on which said toothed wheels are mounted at one side ot the pivots for said levers, weighted arms on the other side ot said pivots to counterbalance said toothed wheels, mechanism connecting the toothed wheel levers with the measuring wheel levers, and

means carried by the toothed wheel levers and cooperating with said connecting mechanism to move said toothed wheel levers on their pivots without effecting movement ot' the measuring wheels, for the purpose specied.

2. ln a machine ot the character described, in combination, a plurality of measurii'ig wheels, pinions connected with said wheels, a plurality of toothed wheels cooperating with said pinions to be rotated thereby in one direction, and means adjustable circumrnerentially on said toothed wheels for moving them in the opposite direction, substantially as described.

in a machine of the character described, in combination, a plurality of rotatable measuring wheels, pinions connected with said wheels, a plurality of rotatable toothed devices cooperating with said pinions to be rotated in one direction thereby, and a combined weight and stop arm circumterentially adjustable on said toothed device, substantially as described.

4. ln a machine of the character described, in combination, a pointer or index, pinion to rotate it, a rack bar in mesh with said pinion, a lever to which said rack bar is connected, said lever having a vertical hole or opening extended centrally through it, and a flexible connection extended through said opening and secured to the saidlever above the upper surface thereof and in the plane of said opening, substantially as described.

5. ln a machine of the character described, in combination, a plurality of measuring wheels, a plurality of toothed devices rotatable by rotation of said measuring wheels, levers pivoted intermediate their ends and carrying said toothed devices and provided with weighted arms to counterbalance the said toothed devices, movable supports for said measuring wheels, means connecting said supports with the levers carrying the said toothed devices, and means cooperating wit-h said connecting means to turn the levers carrying the toothed devices to effect movement of the said levers independently of the movable support-s for the measuring wheels, substantially as described.

6. In a machine et the character described, in combination a rotatable toothed device, a stop arm adjustably secured to the circumference of said toothed device and extended beyond the circumference of said toothed device, and means located beyond the circumference of the toothed device with which said stop arm cooperates, for the purpose specitied.

7. In a machine ot the character described, in combination, a rotatable toothed device, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends and carrying said toothed device at one side of its pivot and provided with a weighted arm on the other side of said pivot, a measuring Wheel provided with a pinion coperating with said toothed device, a lever carrying said measuring Wheel, an adjustable connection between said levers comprising the lever 17, U-shaped rod 21 carried by the lever 17, nut on said rod, and link 2 0, and a set screw 15 carried by the toothed device lever and coperating With the lever 17, substantially as described.

8. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a n'ieasuring Wheel, atoot-hed device rotatable by rotation of said measuring Wheel, supports for said Wheel and toothed device, means to connect said supports having means to adjust said connection to shorten and lengthen the same, and means to effectmovement of one of said supports independently of the other, substantially as described.

9. In a machine of the character described,

in combination, a measuring Wheel, a toothed device rotatable by rotation of said measuring wheel, a lever supporting said Wheel, a lever supporting said toothed device, a connection between said levers pivoted thereto and having provision for lengthening` and shortening the same, and means coperating with said connection for turning one of said levers on rits pivot independently of the other, substantially as described.

10. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a measuring Wheel, a toothed device rotatable by rotation of said measuring Wheel, a lever supporting said Wheel, a lever supporting said toothed device, means to turn the lever carrying the toothed device on its pvot to counterbalance said lever, and means for effecting simultaneous adjustment of said levers without disturbing the counterbalanced condition of the lever carrying the toothed device, substantially as described. Y

1n testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

LYNDON O. RAMSDELL.

fitnesses t JAS. H. CHURCHILL, J. MURPHY. 

